Prague will renovate the exhibition grounds, theaters, roads, and new playgrounds will be added

Prague - The management of the municipal company Výstaviště Praha will renovate the area in Prague 7, including local restaurants, theaters, and paths. Public lighting will be replaced, electrical connections will be built, and the Brussels Gate will be repaired. The costs are approximately 150 million crowns. The greenery will also be adjusted. This was stated to reporters today by Deputy Mayor Pavel Vyhnánek (Praha Sobě) and the chairman of the board of Výstaviště Praha, Tomáš Hübl. A construction of a replica of the burned wing of the Industrial Palace is in preparation.

"We want the entire area to become a part of the natural thinking of Prague citizens about how to spend their free time, so that they visit regularly and not just once," said Vyhnánek. The reconstruction aims to integrate the area into the context of the broader region, specifically Stromovka and the Troja basin with the zoo and botanical garden.

The company has already modernized Marold's panorama of the Battle of Lipany. "It's a fascinating image that no one came to see," Hübl said. The space around the image was cleaned, the company created new promotional materials, and a commentary was recorded for the images. In the first month after its opening, 1,350 people viewed the image according to Hübl, while last year, there were about 2,600 visitors for the entire year.

Two weeks ago, a climbing wall was opened near the local swimming pool. During the summer holidays, the company plans to keep the pool open as well, offering people both sports options at the same time. In the past, the pool was closed in the summer. The renovation of the Pražan restaurant, which will have a microbrewery, is nearing completion.

A relaxation zone will be created in the lower part of the area, with another playground for children, a fitness area, and self-service grills. All playgrounds will be available for free, while people will pay for the use of the grills. Remnants or foundations of non-existent buildings will be removed. A new gate to Stromovka will also be built, and the accessibility of the area will be improved. A new food pavilion will replace the former refreshment area at the Brussels Gate.

The surfaces of paths will be repaired and unified, and the Brussels Road will be reconstructed. "The goal is to create a cultivated space that will serve for outdoor activities," said Hübl. Public lighting will be added, and underground shafts will be created for better connection to electrical power.

Repairs will also be made to buildings. The Křižík pavilions will be reconstructed, which Výstaviště will use for organizing exhibitions during the renovation of the Industrial Palace. The fountain will also be repaired. The company will convert the Spirála theater, which has been closed since 2002, into a multifunctional hall. "If everything goes well, the expected opening date for Spirála is spring 2021," Hübl said. A retention tank for water will be created, and the company has already cleaned the wells and will use their water for irrigation. Until now, drinking water has been used.

In the future, the management of Výstaviště also plans repairs in front of the Industrial Palace towards Holešovice. When this work will take place is not yet clear. However, a new gate will be built. The previous management of Prague announced an architectural competition for its design, but no winner was ultimately selected.

Prague has been preparing the completion of the burned wing of the Industrial Palace for several years. Currently, a building permit process is underway. If everything goes smoothly, work could start in July next year.

Výstaviště at Stromovka was established in 1891 on the occasion of the Jubilee Land Exhibition. The area suffered significant damage during the flood in 2002.